Music while commuting

[rodzghost]

So I came across a great deal on a Lexin headset for my helmet. My main reason for getting it was so I could listen to GPS directions. (I currently have to do it old school and try to memorize my route when I go somewhere new. At my advanced age, this doesn't always work out so well.)

Anyway, I also have some old bluetooth headphones with a broken receiver that I was going to use to replace the stock speakers on the Lexin for possibly listening to music.

My concern is that it might be too distracting during my commute, so I wanted to gather some of yalls' thoughts on listening while riding.

I've been riding daily for about 2-3 years now and have gotten pretty used to not having music in the background. I'm fairly comfortable on the bike now, and I'd consider myself to have a pretty good sense of my surroundings. Much more so than when I'm driving a car, at least. I do miss having music to listen to, but I don't want it to distract me from the road.

So, thoughts?

 

[SFSV650]

I've listened to music while commuting exactly once.
3/10, do not recommend, would not do again. It took my attention away from traffic, but I wasn't enjoying the music either. YMMV.

 

[bigpoppa]

I've been riding to music for quite some time (over 10 years) and I don't find it distracting at all. For longer rides (1+ hours) I find it helps me stay more alert and less fatigued.

If it works for you, go for it. If you find it detracts from your ride, turn it off.

 

[cheez]

I listen to music every day on my 51 mile commute (each way). I keep it at moderate volume and specifically don't let it distract me from riding (no singing along, no head bopping, no changing which song is playing, etc.)

Curate a playlist you like and update it every few weeks, has worked for me for a decade or so now.

 

[Toast]

I've been commuting for years and always have music or a podcast going, it helps me be more zen. The big thing is make sure you have a playlist or something that you're happy with, don't be fucking around skipping songs and stuff when you're splitting.

 

[Busy Little Shop]

Moozic has been a part of my riding ever since 1979... I got the new released Sony Walkman when I lived in Japan...

I only use custom molded ear plugs with tiny Sony digital
speakers... they cut 30db of wind noise and allow every note of the
music through even at low volumes... perfect...

I added a light weight Xact Sirius satellite receiver... Moozic non stop...

And finally I interfaced Mr.RC45's Oh Shit Detector...

 

[cg_ops]

I've listened to music while commuting exactly every time.
11/10, do recommend, would not ride quietly again. It kept my attention focused on traffic and my surroundings, and I was enjoying the music immensely. YMMV.

I've been riding to music for quite some time (over 10 years) and I don't find it distracting at all. For longer rides (1+ hours) I find it helps me stay more alert and less fatigued.

If it works for you, go for it. If you find it detracts from your ride, turn it off.

^ This exactly. Both sides of the coin don't understand how the other side does it. Music keeps me from daydreaming or over-thinking, as well as staying engaged in my ride.

 

[dravnx]

I've listened to music while commuting exactly every time.
11/10, do recommend, would not ride quietly again. It kept my attention focused on traffic and my surroundings, and I was enjoying the music immensely. YMMV.




^ This exactly. Both sides of the coin don't understand how the other side does it. Music keeps me from daydreaming or over-thinking, as well as staying engaged in my ride.

Weird how that works. If for some reason I don't have music, such as if my Sena battery dies, my mind tends to wander and I end up not paying attention to riding. I listen to music 100% of the time I ride.

 

[Maddevill]

Hmmm...Hhow can you be focused 100% on traffic AND "enjoying the music"? It's not for everybody but, lets be real. Anything that interacts with your brain is going to cause some level of distraction.

Mad

 

[cg_ops]

Hmmm...Hhow can you be focused 100% on traffic AND "enjoying the music"? It's not for everybody but, lets be real. Anything that interacts with your brain is going to cause some level of distraction.

Mad

Same reason I listened to classical music in calculus and stats in college, music can enhance your brain's cognitive activity. Specifically, it affects spatial-temporal reasoning, a key component to predictively navigating 3d spaces and anticipating where cars are going to be by the time you reach them.


https://blog.brainbalancecenters.com/2015/04/correlation-between-math-and-music-ability

Some research finds that music activates the same areas of the brain that subjects use while solving spatial-temporal reasoning problems. Based on extensive research and knowledge that certain types and frequencies of sound are processed by the two hemispheres of the brain differently, using specific music and sounds may help to stimulate one hemisphere more than the other and possibly create more balance in the brain. As such, listening to music could improve a student's cognition and ability to learn math skills. As recently as 2012, one study showed that listening to music during a math test could improve performance by 40 percent.

I looked into this a lot in college because I struggled in math and spent 3 years as a psych major. It's one of the few psych concepts that stuck in my brain :laughing

 

[ViperThreat]

Hmmm...Hhow can you be focused 100% on traffic AND "enjoying the music"? It's not for everybody but, lets be real. Anything that interacts with your brain is going to cause some level of distraction.

Mad

Definitely not true. You're treating the human brain as if it were a single core processor that has to share a single processing resource for every action.

Human brains are far more complex than that.

 

[rodzghost]

Definitely not true. You're treating the human brain as if it were a single core processor that has to share a single processing resource for every action.

Human brains are far more complex than that.

Same reason I listened to classical music in calculus and stats in college, music can enhance your brain's cognitive activity. Specifically, it affects spatial-temporal reasoning, a key component to predictively navigating 3d spaces and anticipating where cars are going to be by the time you reach them.


https://blog.brainbalancecenters.com/2015/04/correlation-between-math-and-music-ability



I looked into this a lot in college because I struggled in math and spent 3 years as a psych major. It's one of the few psych concepts that stuck in my brain :laughing

Does anyone work around here? I swear I just saw both of you post on reddit.

Back on topic, this has all been good info to read. I might try finding some classical music to add to my playlist.

Currently, I sometimes sing to myself while I ride, so maybe actual music will help me focus on the road more.

 

[cg_ops]

Does anyone work around here? I swear I just saw both of you post on reddit.

:laughing I post between running SQL queries and populating PowerBI reports. (That's why many of my replies are rushed - report finishes so I wrap up my repl--.

 

[ViperThreat]

Does anyone work around here? I swear I just saw both of you post on reddit.

Sitting at my desk right now - can't help it if I'm underutilized.

 

[cheez]

Does anyone work around here? I swear I just saw both of you post on reddit.

Back on topic, this has all been good info to read. I might try finding some classical music to add to my playlist.

Currently, I sometimes sing to myself while I ride, so maybe actual music will help me focus on the road more.

Working is overrated.

 

[Lagwagonlead]

I listen to music when I want to focus. I listen to a podcast/audio book if I want to arrive at work without realizing I've just spent an hour on the bike. If traffic gets heavy I find I can't pay attention to my book, however I don't normally hit traffic in my 60 mile commute. No audio makes my commute absolutely miserable and uneventful.

 

[Busy Little Shop]

Hmmm...Hhow can you be focused 100% on traffic AND "enjoying the music"? It's not for everybody but, lets be real. Anything that interacts with your brain is going to cause some level of distraction.

Mad

On the street one must Ride with a real reserve... on the track the glorious growl of my V4 is moozic to the seat of my pants...

 

[ST Guy]

Hmmm...Hhow can you be focused 100% on traffic AND "enjoying the music"? It's not for everybody but, lets be real. Anything that interacts with your brain is going to cause some level of distraction.

Mad

Yep. There's only so much money to spend. If you have music, it takes away from attention paid toward riding.

 

[Entoptic]

So I came across a great deal on a Lexin headset for my helmet. My main reason for getting it was so I could listen to GPS directions. (I currently have to do it old school and try to memorize my route when I go somewhere new. At my advanced age, this doesn't always work out so well.)

Anyway, I also have some old bluetooth headphones with a broken receiver that I was going to use to replace the stock speakers on the Lexin for possibly listening to music.

My concern is that it might be too distracting during my commute, so I wanted to gather some of yalls' thoughts on listening while riding.

I've been riding daily for about 2-3 years now and have gotten pretty used to not having music in the background. I'm fairly comfortable on the bike now, and I'd consider myself to have a pretty good sense of my surroundings. Much more so than when I'm driving a car, at least. I do miss having music to listen to, but I don't want it to distract me from the road.

So, thoughts?

Buy a Sena and just have it all go into the headset

I've been riding with music for around a decade and will never go back. It's nice to have and talk radio on the morning commute is amaze!

Commuting home a nice riding play list on my itunes gets me home while allowing me to focus on the task at hand. I hate to say it but the music makes me feel more focused.

 

[KnifeySpoony]

Definitely not true. You're treating the human brain as if it were a single core processor that has to share a single processing resource for every action.

Human brains are far more complex than that.

Brain is actually single core. It cannot truly multitask.